1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to media display systems and more particularly relates to a system and method for correlating a cost of receiving media to a user's exposure to advertising.
2. Description of the Related Art
Media display systems often utilize media content providers which broadcast content to multiple users. For example, a television station may propagate a radio-frequency (“RF”) signal that includes video and audio content of a television program. A radio station may propagate a similar RF signal that includes only audio content. Alternatively, a media content provider may simultaneously transmit a plurality of audio or television programs, usually utilizing a broadband delivery system such as a cable-television distribution network, a satellite-television distribution network, or a satellite-radio distribution network. Using a media reception device, such as a television or radio, a media display system user may select one of these plurality of transmitted programs to either listen to or watch.
Media recorders have become increasingly popular with media display system users. For example, many television viewers now utilize digital video recorders to store one or more television programs until a later and more convenient time to watch these programs. Similar devices for RF and Satellite radio programs are also available. With these media recorders, a media display system user may select, record, play, rewind, advance, or delete any of a multitude of programs broadcast by a media content provider. The advance function allows the user to skip over or fast-forward through segments of recorded programming; in particular many users utilize the advance function to skip over advertisements. Some media recorders include intelligent “commercial advance” features that attempt to differentiate advertisement content from program content and allow the user to manually or automatically skip advertising content. Media recorders also have the capacity to capture, store, and report information on the user's actions (such as which portions of a recorded program are skipped).
The schematic block diagram of FIG. 1 illustrates a traditional media display system 10 including a content provider 12, a media recorder 14, and a media display device 16. The content provider 12 may include a broadcaster, a cable-television provider, a satellite-television provider, a satellite-radio provider, or the like. The media recorder 14 may include a digital video recorder (“DVR”), a general purpose computing system, a digital audio recorder/playback device, or similar recording device. The media content provider 12 provides a multitude of media programs collectively indicated as media content 18. The media display device 16 may include a television, a radio, a computer monitor, or other device capable of displaying this media content 18 as displayed media 26. A user input device 28, such as an infra-red remote control or a general purpose computer pointing device, allows the media display system user to select a program from the media content 18 for display or storage.
A media transmission communication path 20 carries media content from the media content provider 12 to the media recorder 14. This media transmission communication path 20 may include an RF transmission/reception system, a cable-distribution system, a satellite-distribution system, or the like.
Some media display systems 10 include a data transmission communication path 30 from the media recorder 14 to the media content provider 12. The media content provider 12 may utilize this data transmission communication path 30 to collect information from the media recorder 14 such as the media recorder's identification, the location of the media recorder 14, or similar information. Alternatively, some media display systems 10 may utilize a bi-directional media transmission communication path 20 capable of carrying information from the media recorder 14 to the media content provider 12.
The media recorder 14 typically includes a media storage device 22 such as a hard disk drive, a tape cartridge, an optical-disk, a flash memory device, a non-volatile random access memory device, or the like. Media content 18 is stored on the media storage device 22 until requested by the media display system user. Once selected, the media content 18 is transmitted to the media display device 16 via a display transmission communication path 24.
The media content 18 provided by the media content provider 12 typically includes a large percentage of advertising programs. Advertisers pay media content providers 12 large amounts of money to broadcast these advertising programs to media display system users with the expectation that these users will watch or listen to the advertising programs. However, using media recorders 14, media display system users can advance the media recorder 14 through an advertising program, effectively skipping over the advertising program. This situation creates a problem in that advertisers will reduce the amount of money they are willing to pay to media content providers if the media content providers cannot ensure that the advertising programs will be watched or listened to by a sufficient number of media display system users. The media content providers, therefore, may wish to encourage media display system users to watch or listen to more advertising programs or the media content providers may be forced to seek other forms of revenue.
From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for an apparatus, system, and method for correlating a cost of receiving media to a user's exposure to advertising. Beneficially, such an apparatus, system, and method would perform this task while utilizing a reporting function from the media recorder to the media content provider.